The Duneagle Settee
by Miss Phyllis Baxter
Summary: How did the pillow end up on the settee at the end of Robert and Cora's bed in Journey to the Highlands?


"Robert, do you know how lucky we are in our marriage?" Cora asked as Robert came into the bedroom from his dressing room at Duneagle.

"Remind me darling," he said, sitting down beside her on the settee at the foot of the bed.

Cora smiled at him. "Look at Susan and Shrimpie, they're not happy. That could be us," she said, quietly, taking his hand in her's and looking at it sadly. "I remember when your heart was out of my reach, it hurt so much, especially since I loved you so much." Tears began forming in Cora's eyes. "I think if it were still like that, I'd have died of heartbreak by now."

"Cora," he whispered. "I probably loved you all along, I just felt guilty about my motives and I thought you deserved better, not to mention that I was so stupid." He put his arm around her shoulder, guiding her head to his shoulder.

"Don't call yourself stupid," she whispered. "You're far from it. You're my husband, the love and light of my life, not stupid. You're a wonderful and loving father, a splendid grandfather and the most handsome Earl in all of England. You're wonderful." She started playing with his fingers as the tears began to fall. He could be so cruel to himself sometimes and it was the only thing she didn't love about him. It had happened a lot in the last year or so, ever since her money had been lost. He only ever showed this side when they were alone together, and it hurt her that he could say such things about himself. He had been so ruthless towards himself after her money was lost, he had been sure that she would hate him or leave him. She could never do such a thing, leaving him would be like leaving her heart behind. She needed him. She put his hand back on his lap and ran her own up his thighs.

"Cora, wh-" Robert started.

"Shhh," she whispered. "I feel I need to show you exactly how wonderful you really are." Her hand continued up his thigh through his dressing gown. Her unoccupied hand untied his dressing gown and pushed it off his shoulders. She got up and pulled his dressing gown from his body completely, grabbing a pillow from the bed. She raised her eyebrows, handing it to Robert. "Put it where you want, after you take off your clothes, my love."

Robert smiled at her, unbuttoning his pyjama shirt and tossing it. Cora smirked at how well he was listening to her. They needed this; a little bit of excitement somewhere away from Downton. Their marriage had healed quite well after Sybil's death, and Cora was holding onto him tighter than she had before. The war had taken a toll as well, and it was mending day by day. He removed his pyjama pants, Cora giggling lightly when she found he wore no underclothes. "I told Bates I could prepare myself for bed," he said. "Plus, I was hoping we could make love and clothes are just an obstacle." Cora chuckled lightly. He put the pillow at the end closest to where Cora would sleep on the bed, if they made it there. He lay down on his side, watching Cora undress. She took her nightclothes off in such a way that made Robert ache for her. Once she was completely naked, save for her drawers, Robert looked at her with a furrowed brow.

"Robert, had you told me, I wouldn't have worn this obstacle either," she said. "I think you meant to surprise me." She walked over to him, and he pulled on the drawstring like a child would open a gift on Christmas day. He pulled them down her legs, letting her step out of them. Cora knelt in front on him. "You are so perfect." She smiled lightly and ran her hands over his chest.

"Not nearly as perfect as the woman I love," he said quietly, running his hands over her shoulders and down her back, gently pulling her in for a kiss. Cora smiled into the kiss, running her tongue over his bottom lip. Robert inhaled sharply, feeling her wet tongue against his lip. He pulled her up into his arms. Cora purred as she felt their bodies touch. He broke their kiss and looked into her eyes and her legs settled beside his thighs, making her straddle him. He was quite aroused by the sight of his wife sitting across his thighs. "Are you sure we should do this here and not on the bed? Remember how many settee's we've broken? Remember when we broke one of Rosamund's and there were all those questions?"

"I'm fairly certain that she and Marmaduke had weakened the legs and we just finished it off. I doubt we'll break this one, I don't think Susan and Shrimpie enjoy each others company like this, do you?" Cora asked. "And yes, we're doing it here."

Robert chuckled. "Alright, but if we break it, I'll say this was your idea," he said, pulling her body closer to his.

"I'll say that you had no objections," she muttered, pressing light kisses to his neck.

"I'll reply that you distracted me," he muttered, groaning at her mouth on his neck. "Oh, yes, like that." His head fell back as Cora sucked at his neck.

Cora stopped and bent down lower and bit one of his nipples. "Oww, Cora," Robert said, his head snapping up. "What was that for?"

"Do you want this, or not?" she asked. "Because honestly, saying that you're only doing this because it's my idea and that I distracted you is simply cruel. It's saying, more or less, that you don't want to be with me intimately, except for when we're on a bed. You don't want any excitement or fun." She got off his lap and grabbed her dressing gown from where she had thrown it earlier and put it on, grabbing his and throwing it at him. "If you really don't want to, we won't. Let's just go to bed."

Robert sat up and looked at her, seeing the tears form in her eyes, and he knew that his little joke had truly hurt her. "Cora, I didn't mean to hurt you. I only meant it as a joke," he said. "Of course I want to be with you, in every way possible."

"You're just saying that. It doesn't take a genius to know that I'm not nearly as beautiful as I once was," she said as the tears began to fall. "I understand that you don't want to be with me anymore, maybe if I were younger and more beautiful, you might want me, and I understand that you still blame me for Sybil and everything, because no matter how often you say it, it isn't your fault, it's mine." At this point, the tears were flowing freely down her cheeks as she collapsed onto the bed.

"Cora," Robert said, standing up and putting his dressing gown on, walking over to her and kneeling beside her. He rubbed her shoulders and her back, tying to sooth and calm her. "Cora, that is not true. None of it is. You're so beautiful; you're the most beautiful woman I have ever met and I have always wanted you. I will never stop loving you, thinking you're beautiful and I will certainly never stop wanting you. Sybil, our beautiful little Sybil, that was all my fault. If I had listened to you, she might still be with us. I will never forgive myself. It will never be your fault; nothing could ever be your fault, darling." He bent his head down and kissed her hair lightly. "I was having a lot of fun on the settee, if you want to start over. Because, I want you know that I love you and I was only kidding. There's nothing better in the world for me than being with you."

Cora sniffled and looked up at him. "Don't say things you don't mean," she whispered, sadness in her voice. "Please don't, it really does hurt and I believe every word that comes from your mouth, so if you're trying to fool me, please don't. You made me feel like a simple distraction and a minx."

"You can always find ways to distract me Cora, in the best way possible. You walk into a room and I am automatically distracted, because nothing that is going on could ever be more important to me than simply looking at you. Anybody else in the room could be telling me that the world is going to end, or that I'll die in ten seconds, but I will be paying so much attention to you, my love, that I cannot hear a word they say. Your lips and hands give me the most incredible feelings; well, you as a person make me go wild, and your hands and lips and your beautiful body make it so wonderful I can't think of anything except how much I love you, cherish you, want you, need you and how much I want to pleasure you. You're everything," he said, awkwardly pulling her into his arms and onto his lap.

Cora began to smile as Robert reached up and wiped her tears away. "You sound like a romantic poet or a romance novel, not my Robert," she said.

"But that's what you do to me, you bring me such happiness that I do express my emotions to you, but only to you. Besides, I'd be a fool if I didn't tell you how much you meant to me," he said. "And I may be a sentimental idiot, but it's all over you, so it's okay, I know you won't use my emotions against me."

Cora chuckled lightly. "Alright. I believe you, you sentimental idiot. And I love you more than anything in the whole world, I hope you know that. But I ask one thing, please stop insulting yourself all the time. It gets on my nerves. Nothing is your fault, not in my mind. Not really. Even if I blame you for something, it's because I think it's all my fault. Promise?"

"I promise, as long as you stop blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault," he said, lifting her off the bed and only putting her down when he reached the settee. "So, can we?"

"Of course we can," Cora replied, spreading her legs and opening her dressing gown. Robert shrugged his dressing gown off and climbed on top of her. Cora giggled as Robert's mouth attached to her neck. Her head fell back as his had done earlier. "Oh, Robert." She slid her hands around him to his back, pressing his body closer to her's. She felt his arousal against her hip and she automatically knew how much he needed her. She pulled his head up and he playfully growled, causing her to giggle. "Take me, my love," she whispered, making her husband's eyes light up as he moved his body, his tip pressing at her entrance before he entered with a low groan, Cora gasping with him.

Robert smiled at his wife, who's eyes had shut in pleasure. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips before beginning to move above her. Cora lay beneath him, enjoying the sensations he was giving her with every light thrust. Cora's body began moving under his, making his movements feel even better. Robert's chest was pressed tightly against her's, so he was unable to touch her breasts, like he usually would, so he started rubbing his chest against her's with every movement, eliciting deep moans from her throat. "R-R-Robert," Cora cried in a loud moan. She was beyond coherent thought. "Faster, please, I need you to go faster. Harder, oh Robert, please!" She began panting heavily. Robert tried to chuckle, but could only let out a breathy moan against her throat, making her cry out again.

_Damn, she's very close_, Robert thought._ It's so soon though. At least I won't have to induce her orgasm to make her come before me_. He smiled against her and pressed a delicate kiss to her neck, making her whimper. He sped up his thrusts, going slightly harder, complying with her demands. He had decided he would always listen to her since Sybil. She was always right, she was his angel, the one who could do no wrong. She was incapable of fault in his eyes and he didn't understand why no one else seemed to see it. He heard Cora moan over and over, pulling his head closer to her, enjoying the feeling of his panting on her neck. Not simply because it was him, but because she knew that she was the only one who would ever be able to get him like this. Cora's muscles suddenly clenched around Robert as she came, gasping and panting, holding his body to her's as he followed moments later with a low and rather muffled grunt. He stayed against Cora for a few moments while the couple tried to catch their breath and form coherent thoughts.

Once Cora released his head, he raised it and looked at Cora, who was already looking at him, her face pink from their exertions. "That was wonderful," Robert said. "You are wonderful."

"You weren't so bad yourself," Cora replied, running her fingers through his hair. "But I think we should move this to the bed."

Robert nodded and leaned up into her touch before getting up. He lifted her and carefully placed her on the bed. He was always careful with Cora, always afraid to drop his most precious treasure. He had had a nightmare a while back in which he was carrying her and he tripped, dropping her and she had nearly died, it had scared him to death. Losing her would be worse than anything he could ever imagine. He could lose his home, his estate, the love of his daughters and mother and become a beggar, but he would be perfectly fine, as long as he had Cora by his side through it all. She was his strength and he needed her in order to live. Cora smiled up at him. "You're my knight in shining armour, you know that right?"

"I do, my beautiful princess, my damsel in distress," he whispered, placing kisses to her face before walking to the other side of the bed and climbing into it. The two turned onto their sides to face one another, and they smiled once their eyes were on one another again. Robert reached out a hand and brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her face and behind her ear. Cora lowered her eyes and blushed slightly, making Robert chuckle.

"What?" she asked.

"You still blush whenever I do that," he replied, smiling. He took her hand and brought it to her lips. "And that. You still blush when I do simple and little things."

"I can't help it, you're just so sweet and I don't know what it is about you, but you always make me so happy to be with you," she whispered. "You're a wonderful husband, despite what some people may believe and say. You're splendid and wonderful and I couldn't be happier than I am with you. No one makes me happy with everything, except for you. I don't know how you do it."

"Maybe it's just you and I," he said. "Because I know I don't make everyone happy. But you have the same effect on me, my dearest one." Cora flushed an even deeper shade of pink at his words. She put it all down to the fact that she made him happy and with that, she was happy. She was still as nervous as a young girl around him though. She felt as though every time she looked at him, it was just as perfect as the first time their eyes ever met in that crowded ballroom over 30 years ago. He was just as perfect as he had been, perhaps even more so. Robert simply smiled at her, running his hand own her body, rubbing her waist lightly, making her breath hitch slightly. Robert's eyes sought her's, only to find that she had shut them lightly. "Do you want me?"

"You know I do, Robert. I always want you, in every single way I want you. You are everything. Nothing means anything without you," she replied as he eased her onto her back.

The next morning, Robert awoke completely naked with Cora in his arms. He shook his head and looked down at Cora who was sleeping on her side. He stroked her hair gently, not surprised that she was still sleeping, after the night they had had. His hands ran down her arm and back gently and he felt her stir slightly. He enjoyed watching her sleep and stir slowly, but he had to get her up, they needed to put their night clothes on for when Bates and O'Brien came up. He knew Bates wouldn't come up until he was in his dressing room and he had rung for him, but O'Brien would come up whenever she wanted to. He needed something to be done about O'Brien, but what. He had never liked her, she got on his last nerve, especially since Cora told him about the soap. Cora never lied to him, and Cora had said that O'Brien told her the bar was under the bath. If the bar had been under the bath, there was no way Cora could have slipped on it, she was being 10x as careful because of the fact that she was pregnant. She wouldn't do anything to possibly endanger their child. O'Brien was certainly guilty of something, and as he looked at Cora who was slowly waking up, he vowed that he would find out what had happened that day.

Cora opened her eyes and smiled, Robert was still in bed with her. She turned her head and looked at her husband, who appeared to be deep in thought. "Good morning Robert," she whispered, turning in his arms and threading her fingers through his hair. "I love you, how did you sleep?"

"Alright, I had you in my arms, my love," Robert chuckled as he sealed the gap between them with a kiss. His arms pulled her closer to him, making him want her desperately. He wanted her so much that he needed her. Cora groaned against his lips, bucking her hips to meet his. "Cora," Robert gasped. "Cora, we need to dress for when Bates and O'Brien get here."

"Must we?" she asked. "I'd much rather spend the morning in bed with you, darling." She looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Cora," he said. "As tempting as you and your beautiful body are, we must face the day. I'm going out stalking, and you'll have me from right after dinner until the morning, we'll finish dinner and make our excuses."

Cora beamed at him. "Only if you promise and seal it with kiss," she whispered. "Or I won't let you go." She pulled him into her arms and held him tightly to her. "And you know I won't let go."

"I promise," he replied, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her lips. "Now, I must go, my love."

"Alright," she whispered as he got up, took his dressing gown and pyjamas and left, flashing her a smile as he walked through the dividing door.

Cora smiled at him broadly waiting for O'Brien to come in with her breakfast, taking the time to make herself proper. Soon enough, Cora was sat up in bed, her nightgown and dressing gown on and her hair plaited as it always was when she slept. She ate a little bit before she heard a knock at her door. "Come in," she called out. A few seconds passed before Susan appeared in her doorway. She talked for a bit before Cora noticed that the pillow from the night before was still on the settee. She looked at Susan and smiled, hoping she wouldn't notice.


End file.
